The word "predegeneracy" is a combination of "pre-" meaning before, "degeneracy" meaning the state of being degenerate. It is pronounced as /priːdɪˈdʒɛnərəsi/ in IPA phonetic transcription. The first syllable "pre-" is pronounced as "pree". The second syllable "de" is pronounced as "duh" and the third syllable "gen" is pronounced as "jen". The final syllables "eracy" are pronounced as "eruh-see". The word refers to the state of being degenerate before it actually happens. It is generally used in scientific or academic contexts.